Twelve head constables and 30 constables from different police stations have been deputed to the short-staffed traffic department to ease road congestions in Dehradun.

Twelve head constables and 30 constables from different police stations have been deputed to the short-staffed traffic department to ease road congestions in Dehradun, traffic inspector BS Rawat said on Thursday.

Rawat manages traffic snarls in the city as superintendent of police (traffic) Pradeep Kumar Rai is on medical leave.

“The problem (staff shortage) was acute a few months ago. Now we are getting personnel from police stations,” said Rawat. “Police personnel who had taken part in traffic training in 2004-2005 were also asked to give their names for duty in the traffic department and the matter is being pursued.”

Inspector general of police (Garhwal range) Sanjay Gunjyal had said Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel would be deputed for traffic duty.

The traffic department had 191 constables and 25 head constables in 2014. This year the strength came down to 82 constables and nine head constables, making it difficult for the traffic department to handle road jams.

A number of rallies and processions in the summer resulted in frequent traffic snarls on Rajpur and Chakrada roads in the city.

Social activist Sanjay Bhatt said the traffic situation had gone haywire a few months ago due to shortage of personnel. “We had been asking for increasing the strength of the traffic staff and there is still need for more personnel on the streets,” he said.